1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a console for setting stage lighting and more specifically to a stage lighting console which provides for a simple, efficient method of changing light levels of stage lights.
2. Background Information
In this country and around the world there are thousands of stages and similar venues which are lighted by a plurality of lights most often referred to as lighting instruments. In most cases it is possible to direct the lighting instruments to a particular area of the stage and to adjust the light level of each lighting instrument. That is, each lighting instrument may be made brighter or dimmer depending upon which light level settings provide the optimal appearance of the stage and the action upon the stage at any given time. During the performance of a relatively simple play, for example, there may be dozens of light level settings which are programmed to change at particular points during the production. Various audio or visual cues indicate the points at which the light level settings are to be changed during the production.
During rehearsals and at various other pre-production points, a person, often referred to as the operator, experiments with a variety of light level settings and lighting changes to determine the optimal or most dramatic light level settings during multiple stages of the production. Most modern stages have a lighting console which controls the various light level settings and allows them to be recorded in the proper sequence. During the production, the operator observes the various cues and, when the appropriate cue is given, manipulates a control and the proper, prerecorded, light level setting is automatically produced on stage.
With conventional stage lighting controls, difficulties often occur when an operator wishes to change a particular light level setting pre-production or, even, during a production. Most conventional lighting consoles are equipped with multiple slide controls that may be moved linearly from a setting of 0% to 100%. Movement of each slide control controls the light level of a particular lighting instrument or a combination of lighting instruments. That is, for example, movement of slide control 1 controls lighting instrument 1. When slide control 1 is at 0 the lighting instrument is off and, when slide control 1 is at 100, lighting instrument 1 is at its brightest. If, for instance, a stage had twenty lights, the operator would use slide controls 1 through 20 to set the light level for each of the 20 lighting instruments for each of multiple lighting configurations or lighting set. Each of these level settings may be recorded and changed or displayed in order when the appropriate cue is received.
With most conventional lighting consoles, the console either includes what is known as a patch table. Using the patch table, the various slide controls may be associated with a plurality (often forty-eight) channels or signals. A plurality of outgoing channels (often five hundred and twelve) are sent from the patch table in an industry standard DMX protocol to a separate dimmer. There are a number of conventional dimmers on the market. The dimmer is connected to the various lighting instruments. Based upon the DMX channels received from the patch table, it is the dimmer which actually sets the illumination level of the various lighting instruments. The dimmer is not considered a part of the instant invention. Slide control 1, for instance might be associated with channel 1 using the patch table. Outgoing channel 1 directs the dimmer to set the light level of lighting instrument 1 based upon the signal from outgoing channel 1. Using the patch table, it is possible to associate more than one lighting instrument with a particular channel. That is, channel 1 might control lighting instruments 1, 3, and 5. Henceforth, it should be understood that a reference to setting a channel results in the setting of the lighting level of an associated lighting instrument and references to setting a lighting level with a slide control assume that the slide control sets the channel and the channel directs the dimmer to set the lighting level.
Conventional lighting consoles have what is often referred to as a highest takes precedence method of operation. That is, once a setting for a particular channel has been recorded, the setting will not change until the control slide has been moved to a higher point on the control. If, for example, channel 1 (and consequently lighting instrument 1) was recorded at 70% using slide control 1, slide control 1 must be moved to a point above 70% for a change to occur. If the operator wishes to increase this light level above 70%, the slide must be moved slowly upward until the operator notices a change in the light level (above 70%), move the slider to the new position and then record the change when using most conventional consoles. If the operator wishes to decrease the light level, the slide must be moved slowly upward until the 70% level is “captured,” move the slide down to the desired level, and record this new level. There are other conventional methods to accomplish decreasing light levels including using a keypad.
Several problems relating to the above described method of changing light levels are apparent. Changes are slow, awkward, and require a certain skill and dexterity level.
The stage lighting console of the instant invention is believed to solve, in a new and unique fashion, the above described problems relating to recording and changing lighting levels and light level settings for a stage production.
One of the major objects of the present invention is to provide a stage lighting console which may be used to change lighting configurations or lighting sets in a simple and efficient manner.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a stage lighting console which has control slides which operate in a lowest takes precedence mode or a summing mode of operation when changing settings rather than the highest takes precedence mode of operation used in conventional stage lighting consoles.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a stage lighting console which is simple, safe, rugged, inexpensive, and easy to use.
These and other features of the invention will become apparent when taken in consideration with the following detailed description and the drawings.